


the great pumpkin

by enbyofdionysus



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Autumn Fic, Fluff, M/M, Pumpkin Picking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-20 08:53:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17019609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enbyofdionysus/pseuds/enbyofdionysus
Summary: quensty asked: OKAY so i've had this jercy idea about pumpkin patches and a REALLY awkward first meetingAnonymous said:Could you do any soft Jercy being fathers at home or really any soft Jercy tbhPercy's at the pumpkin patch with his baby sister, Estelle, when he runs into his old High School crush.





	the great pumpkin

**Author's Note:**

> Short autumn fluff drabble requested by quensty and anonymous on Tumblr! Posting here as part of the Big Tumblr Purge.

Half-Blood Farms was surprisingly uncrowded for the weekend before Halloween. It may have had something to do with the fact that most of the pumpkin patch had been picked dry by then, leaving the pumpkin procrastinators behind with the gourdes and baby pumpkins.

Percy didn’t mind, though. It was the trip itself to Half-Blood Farms that was the magical part. Fall in New York City was always gray and chilly and wonderful. But the liminal space of the car ride as they went upstate always filled him with a sense of intensity as if this moment alone was what made Autumn  _autumn_.

His best friend, Annabeth, had come along with them that year to Percy’s delight. He could show his baby sister – safely strapped to his chest in a harness – the funniest looking pumpkins to make her smile. But he could only tell Annabeth what the pumpkins really looked like without his middle name being yelled for the whole farm to hear.

And now was one of those times.

“Annabeth, oh my god,” Percy began. “Look at this pumpkin.”

Annabeth looked up from where she had crouched on the ground a few feet away, measuring the exact roundness of two medium-sized pumpkins. Her gray eyes followed Percy’s arm, then his finger. She gave a surprised, choking laugh.

The pumpkin in question, a squat squash in the mud, would have made an excellent pumpkin to carve aside from the absolutely massive stem poking out from its top.

“It’s a chode-kin,” Percy wheezed.

Annabeth’s laugh turned into a snort. “Get it, I dare you.”

“You don’t have to dare me,” said Percy. Carefully, he leaned over and grabbed the huge stem.

A part of his brain irrationally feared that his sister, Estelle, would slide right out of her harness and into the wet dirt like his first baby doll. But Estelle remained safely in the harness. Her limbs dangled haphazardly as she slept against his chest, lulled to sleep by the car ride, the chilly weather, and the 15 minutes of feeding sheep.

“Be right back,” Percy announced and made his way toward the cabin that housed the store. He grinned when Annabeth laughed behind him.

Half-Blood Farms was a homely place with a petting zoo and haunted hayride designed to be just spooky enough for kids. But inside the Big House, or cabin store, was the real treasure. 

Aisles of homemade pies and jams, cookies and candles surrounded the interior lit by warm glowing lamps and lights.

Every childhood memory Percy had of this place was the same. And every year a mirror image of those memories were reflected back to him. 

He took a moment to walk around, not to buy anything, but simply to take in the cinnamon and pumpkin smells. 

Nostalgia dragged thick and heavy through his veins. Percy yearned and ached with it.

Finally, after staring longingly at a nine-dollar pie, Percy made his way to the register to buy the thick-stemmed pumpkin.

Only to nearly trip on his way there.

Because the cashier wasn’t just any cashier. It was Jason Grace, Percy’s crush through all three years of Middle School and all four years of High School. He was dressed in a soft-looking gray t-shirt with a name tag. Somehow, despite his sun-brightened and freshly cut hair, he managed to look the same as he always did: tall, confident, and heroic. A real-life Hollywood superhero.

Percy suddenly wanted to disappear into the wooden floorboards or, at least, go back outside and grab a normal-looking pumpkin. He didn’t want this to be the first time Jason saw him since High School graduation five years ago: disheveled, carrying a baby strapped to his chest, with a fucked up pumpkin in his hand.

But he didn’t have time to backtrack. Jason caught sight of him easily and offered one of his charming, beautiful smiles.

“I can help you over here,” he said, unaware of Percy’s internal agony.

Percy gave an unfortunate smile and set the chode-kin on the counter. Jason gave it an amused glance before his attention was completely grabbed by Estelle’s sleeping face.

His eyes lit up instantly. “Oh my gosh,” said Jason, “how cute.” He began typing in the price labeled in Sharpie on the side of the pumpkin. “First Halloween with daddy?”

Percy flushed at the question. “Uh, no,” he said, confused. “I’m single.”

Jason stopped typing and gave him an odd look.

Percy stared.

And then coughed. Coughed  _loud_. “Oh,” he said. Then, “Jesus. I’m– Wow. Uh. I’m sorry. I thought you meant– Obviously, you meant–” He cleared his throat and prayed for Death to come. “I’m her brother.”

“Got it,” Jason said, his own ears a little pink. “That’ll be $6 even.”

Percy slid his wallet from his pocket and handed Jason a ten. He tried not to focus on the swift few seconds Jason’s fingers touched his.

“Four dollars is your change,” Jason said.

Percy took the cash and shoved the crumpled bills into his wallet.

“So, uh, you and Annabeth aren’t a thing then?”

Percy looked up, startled. “What?”

Jason gestured outside. “You and Annabeth. You guys were dating in High School, right?”

Percy glanced out the window where Annabeth was laughing over a humongous pumpkin with his mom. “Yeah,” he said. “I mean, we were in High School. But– I’m sorry, you know me?”

Jason’s ears went from pink to a startling shade of red. “Sorry, I’m Jason,” he said, “I was in your math–”

“No, I know who you are,” Percy said easily. “I just meant, I mean, you know me?”

It was Jason’s turn to look confused. “Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?”

Percy restrained himself from letting his ADHD impulsively spew his entire stash of self-deprecating thoughts. “I don’t know,” he answered lamely.

There was an awkward beat of silence. Percy took the chode-kin from the counter.

“But, uh,” said Jason, “you’re single?”

“Til death,” said Percy.  _Which will hopefully be soon_ , he thought.

Jason’s tongue swept out over his lower lip. He handed Percy one of the business cards from beside the register. “Well,” he said, “I get half-priced pies every Wednesday for working here.” He met Percy’s eyes. “If you ever want to share one.”

Percy stared at him.

And then snatched the card just as Jason’s smile began to flag.

“Yes,” Percy said, nearly dropping the chode-kin. “Yes,” he said again. Then, “Yes.” And once more, “Yes. A hundred times yes.”

Jason’s smile was brilliant and dazzling. Percy felt blinded by every single one of his teeth. “Cool,” he said. “So, uh, I’ll see you. Then.”

“See you,” Percy repeated. He realized with horror that he was grinning. He schooled his features. But within seconds he was grinning again, feeling crazy and wonderful all at once.

So, of course, it would make sense that he would drop the pumpkin.


End file.
